Author & Illustrator Profile
Uri Shulevitz
15 Books
Uri Shulevitz is an author and illustrator recognized for picture books with spare language, expressive art, and a strong sense of wonder. He won the Caldecott Medal for his artistic contributions and received Caldecott Honors for books including Snow and How I Learned Geography. His work often turns quiet moments and memories into memorable visual stories. He draws upon his own childhood experiences to create narratives of resilience and imagination.
The lake is still, the campfire is out, and a boy and his grandfather are awake before the world seems ready. In Dawn, Uri Shulevitz follows their quiet morning by the water as darkness slowly loosens and the first light touches the lake. There is no noisy adventure here; the magic is in small changes you can almost hear, from the hush of night to the gentle movement of a rowboat. Young readers who like nature, camping, and beautiful picture books will find a calm, watchful story about sharing a special moment across generations and noticing how ordinary mornings can feel almost miraculous.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
A sailor suit, a hat, and a whistle are enough to send one boy far beyond an ordinary day at home. Wearing his special outfit, he imagines himself on a ship, braving the sea and searching for treasure like a real sailor. Uri Shulevitz lets the make-believe adventure feel big and exciting while keeping the story close to a child’s own world. For readers ages six to eight, this is a warm, playful picture book about imagination, bravery, and the way pretending can help you feel a little stronger when real life asks for courage too.
6-8 Years
45 Pages
Three nights, one dream, and a long road pull Isaac away from home. A voice keeps telling him to travel to the capital city and look beneath the bridge by the royal palace, even though the journey sounds foolish and impossible. Uri Shulevitz retells this time-honored folktale with quiet humor, spare language, and illustrations that make Isaac’s walk feel both lonely and full of wonder. Readers who enjoy stories with riddles, dreams, and surprising wisdom will find a tale that asks where real treasure might be found without rushing to give away its answer.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
40 Pages
Late afternoon slides toward evening as a boy, his dog, and his grandfather walk through the city in December. First the sky changes. Then windows, streets, shops, and homes begin to glow. As natural light fades, holiday lights appear one by one, bringing Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas displays into the darkening streets. Dusk is a quiet picture book for readers who like to notice small transformations. With simple language and glowing scenes, Uri Shulevitz turns an ordinary walk into a celebration of city life, family togetherness, winter evenings, and the shared brightness of many traditions.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
Rain taps the windows, runs through streets, fills fields, and gathers in streams, rivers, and seas. From inside, a child watches the storm and feels the coziness of being safe while the whole world outside seems to wake up and grow. Rain Rain Rivers is a lyrical picture book for readers who like weather, nature, and words that sound almost like music. Uri Shulevitz follows rain from town to countryside to waterway, showing how a gray day can feel fresh, powerful, and full of life, with puddles waiting for tomorrow.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
Everything in the house is sleepy: the boy, the chairs, the dishes, even the quiet night air. Then music slips through an open window, and the room begins to stir. Chairs rock, dishes dance, and the sleepy house wakes into a gentle little celebration before calm returns. So Sleepy Story is a dreamy bedtime picture book with rhythmic language and soft, whimsical scenes. Young readers can enjoy the playful surprise of ordinary objects coming alive, while the lullaby-like pattern makes the story feel peaceful enough for the end of the day.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
In Toddlecreek, the post office is more than a place for stamps and letters. With Vernon Stamps in charge, it is where neighbors gather, talk, share news, and feel part of the village. Then a postal inspector arrives with official rules, and the friendly rhythm of the town is suddenly at risk. Uri Shulevitz tells a small-community story that helps young readers see how places can matter because of the people who care for them. This picture book is gentle, thoughtful, and quietly funny, with a close look at friendship, communication, and change.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
A boy and his family have fled war and are living with hunger, poverty, and uncertainty in a strange country. When his father brings home a large map instead of food, the boy is angry at first. But the map soon fills their bare room with color, possibility, and imagined journeys across deserts, oceans, mountains, and cities. Based on Uri Shulevitz’s childhood as a refugee during World War II, How I Learned Geography is a moving picture-book memoir about imagination under hardship. It shows young readers how art, maps, and memory can open the world even when life feels painfully limited.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
40 Pages
Troto is a small car with a big love of going places. After a long drive, he rolls into Cactusville and meets trucks that are much larger than he is. When they laugh at his size, Troto has to decide how to answer. This cheerful picture book gives young readers a vehicle-filled story about confidence, teasing, and finding courage when others underestimate you. With a desert setting, a race, and a little car who refuses to be defined by being small, Troto and the Trucks is a fun pick for children who love cars, trucks, and determined underdogs.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
One Monday morning, a king, a queen, and a little prince come calling, but the boy they want to visit is not home. So they return again and again, each time with a bigger, stranger, more colorful group following behind them. Uri Shulevitz builds this picture book from the rhythm of an old song, turning a rainy city day into a grand game of imagination. Young readers can enjoy the repeated pattern, the royal parade, and the funny contrast between a small apartment and a very important visit that keeps getting larger.
6-8 Years
46 Pages
One snowflake is easy to ignore. So are two. In Snow, nearly everyone in the city dismisses the flakes drifting down from the sky, from passersby to the grown-ups who trust the weather reports. But a boy and his dog keep watching, believing the day is changing right before their eyes. Uri Shulevitz captures the thrill of a snowy day with simple, poetic text and lively pictures that let readers feel the city slowly soften and brighten. This beloved picture book is perfect for children who know that a little weather can turn everything magical.
6-8 Years
40 Pages
A clever answer changes a poor man’s life when the king notices his wisdom and makes him treasurer. But the chief minister grows jealous and accuses the new treasurer of stealing, forcing him to defend his honesty in a dangerous situation. The Secret Room has the shape of a folktale, with a king, a false accusation, and a test of wit at its center. Young readers can follow the mystery of how an innocent person proves the truth, while Uri Shulevitz’s rich storytelling keeps the tale simple, thoughtful, and satisfying for early readers.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
The Czar has made a dazzling promise: whoever brings him a flying ship may marry his daughter. The youngest son, often dismissed as a fool, sets out anyway and meets a group of extraordinary travelers, each with a gift that seems impossible. This Russian folktale moves with the feeling of a quest, full of magical helpers, royal challenges, and comic surprises. Arthur Ransome’s retelling and Uri Shulevitz’s illustrations make the story feel both old and wonderfully alive, inviting young readers to cheer for the underestimated hero and wonder which strange talent will matter next.
6-8 Years
52 Pages
Passover is near, but an old couple has no food, no candles, and no way to prepare the holiday meal. Then a mysterious visitor arrives, and the ordinary room begins to feel touched by wonder. The Magician draws on a classic Jewish tale by Isaac Leib Peretz, bringing together poverty, faith, generosity, and a hint of miracle. For readers ages six to twelve, the story offers the suspense of a stranger at the door and the warmth of a holiday tale, while Uri Shulevitz’s artwork gives the simple setting a feeling of deep mystery.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
32 Pages
Jewish Tales from Around the World
A witch who turns children into diamonds, a prince who thinks he is a rooster, a giant near Noah’s ark, wise teachers, fools, prophets, and magical tests all belong to the wide world of The Diamond Tree. This collection brings together Jewish tales from many places, mixing humor, wonder, danger, and spiritual imagination. Readers ages six to twelve can move from one short tale to the next, meeting characters who are clever, foolish, brave, greedy, or blessed in unexpected ways. The book works well for families, classrooms, and young folklore fans who enjoy stories that feel ancient, strange, and alive.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
32 Pages
